Machine for bending and twisting bars.



P. R. ROGERS. MACHINE FOR BENDING AND TWISTING BARS.

APPLICATION mum JULY 26, 1911. 1,029,946, Patented June 18,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

/7 ,5 /f 71 n 4 1 ffi 1 A y y L] f; III:

Ejj

d H 6' j 1 9 J. 5 a ff 4 fizz/@2501? fifizes sea d/ %M j W 5 WM UNITED STATES ATN FRANK R. ROGERS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BARGALO MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

MAUHINE FOR BENDING AND TWISTING BARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 26, 1911.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FRANK R. ROGERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Bending and Twisting Bars, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates more particularly to machines for forming the metal cross bars or slats which are used in spiral spring bed bottoms for supporting the springs. Ordinarily these bars or slats rest at their ends on the side rails of the bedstead for supporting the bed bottom, and their main or intermediate portions are depressed or offset downwardly relative to the end portions so as to locate the bed bottom down between the bedstead side rails, and the intermediate portions are also twisted at right angles to the end portions so as to place the greatest width vertically to secure the maximum vertical rigidity thereof.

While the machine constituting the subject of this invention is primarily intended for forming bed bottom cross bars or slats of this form, it is not necessarily limited to this purpose, but is also adapted for bending and twisting bars in an analogous manner for other purposes.

The objects of this invention are to provide an efficient and practical machine of simple and inexpensive construction in which bars can be bent and twisted into shape rapidly andwith the minimum exertion; and also to construct the machine so that it makes the bend or bends and twist in the bar simultaneously.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of two sheets: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bending and twisting machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation similar to Fig. 1 showing a difierent position of the parts. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof partly in section, on an enlarged scale, showing the positions of the bending and twisting dies at the completion of their operative movements. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation in line 5--5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view in line 66, Fig. 4. Fig. 7is a sectional elevation showing the normal position of the twisting die. Fig. 8 is an inverted fragmentary perspective view of a bed bottom slat formed by said machine.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents a bar or strip which h as been shaped by the machine forming the subject of this invention. As shown in Fig. 8, the finished bar has opposite right angle bends a, a whereby the end portion of the bar is offset from the main portion thereof, and is twisted at a so that the end and main portions occupy planes at right angles to each other.

B represents a stand. or frame of any suitable construction on which is rigidly secured a bed block C which carries the dies, tools or devices for forming the bends a a and twist a in the bar A. The bed block is provided at one end with a stationary die D with which cooperates a movable die D for bending the bar. The stationary die has salient and reentrant angles (Z and d for forming respectively the bends a and a in the bar, and the movable die D preferably consists of a rectangular block pivoted at one corner thereof in any suitable way to swing about an axis substantially coincident with the salient angle cl of the stationary die. As shown the movable die D is pivoted on a stud (Z which projects from an upright portion 0Z of the bed block C at one side of the die D. The bar A is inserted between the stationary and movable dies when the latter is in the upright position shown in Fig. 1 and the movable die is then swung downwardly to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, thereby bending the bar over the angle (Z and forcing it into the angle 0? of the stationary die, thus forming the bends a and a .in the bar.

E represents a gage against which the end of the bar is placed to insure of the bends being made at the proper points. The length of the end portion of the bar is determined by the extent to which the bar is inserted between the dies D and D and it will be evident that if the bar is placed so that the portion thereof projecting be yond the angle d of the die D is no greater, or less than the perpendicular distance between the angles cl and d of the die, then the bar will be bent only at a. The dies are therefore adapted without change to form either a single bend a, or the opposite bends a and a.

F represents the twisting die, tool, or device, which is of cylindrical form and is journaled to oscillate in a bearing f in the bed block C in which it is held from endwise movement. This die or device is hollow and is provided with internal lugs or parts f separated by a narrow diametrical throat through which the end of the bar A is adapted to be passed. The lugs or parts f are preferably sector-shaped and are adapted to bear against the opposite faces of the bar at opposite sides of its medial line and cause the portion of the bar which they engage to turn with the die or device F when the latter is oscillated. The sectorshaped lugs or parts f leave connected sector-shaped openings f in the die or device, the purpose of which will be explained later. The die or device is provided in one side with a longitudinal slot f which connects with the diametrical throat between the lugs f and is adapted to register with a slot f in bearing f when the die or device is in the normal position shown in Fig. 7, to permit the removal of the bar from the die or device. The end of the bar is inserted through the twisting die or device to a position between the bending dies, as shown in Fig. 1, and the bending dies hold the end of the bar from turning so that by turning the twisting die or device one fourth of a revolution, the portion of the bar therein will be twisted to a position at right angles to the end portion of the bar held by the bending dies.

The movable bending die and the twisting die or device can be operated as described by any suitable mechanism. In the machine shown the pivoted bending die D is connected by a pitman g to an operating crank or arm G on a shaft H which is journaled in the upright extension of the bed block or frame. The crank or arm G has a cam edge which actuates a rack bar I which is movable vertically in a suitable guide on the upright extension of the bed block and is provided with teeth meshing with teeth on the twisting die or device. The rack bar is preferably furnished with an anti-friction roller z for the engagement of the cam.

z" is a spring for raising the rack bar and returning the twisting die to the normal position.

As the crank or arm G moves downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, it swings the bending die D downwardly and also shoves the rack bar I downward, thus simultaneously operating the bending and twisting dies or devices and forming the bends and twist in the one operation practically at the same time. The sectorshaped openings 7 in the twisting die permit the die to be returned to the normal position without turning the bar. The slot f in the twisting die then registers with the slot f in the bearing and the bar can be lifted vertically out of the twisting die and its end slipped laterally from beneath the movable bending die. The sector-shaped openings in the twisting die also greatly facilitate the insertion of the bar into place in the dies, since they allow the bar to enter the twisting die whether or not it is in a position to register with the narrow throat between the lugs f, and then to be turned until its flat side rests on the angle (Z of the bending die. No especial care is required, therefore, to place the bar in position and it can be done quickly.

The drive pulley or wheel K of the machine preferably runs continuously, and a clutch in controlled by a treadle 7c and rod is employed for driving the shaft H when the treadle is depressed. The clutch is of the sort commonly employed in stamping presses and acts to produce one complete revolution of the shaft H each time the treadle is depressed. Any other suitable mechanism for operating the bending and twisting dies in the manner stated and controlling means therefor can be used.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine for bending and twisting bars, the combination of a bending device and a twisting device arranged in line one in advance of the other with reference to the direction in which the bars are fed into the machine, and mechanism for simultaneously moving said bending device to bend the bar and turning said twisting device to twist the bar, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for bending and twisting bars, the combination of a bending die, an open ended twisting device which is arranged in advance of said bending die with reference to the direction in which the bars are fed into the machine and through which the bar is passed endwise to the bending die, a bearing for said twisting device, said twisting device having a side opening which registers with an opening in the bearing after the device has been turned to twist the bar whereby the twisted bar can be removed sidewise from the twisting device, and means opening which registers with an opening in the bearing after the device has been turned to twist the'bar whereby the twisted bar can be removed sidewise from the twisting de vice, and means for operating said bending device and turning said twisting device, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a machine for bending and twisting bars, the combination of a device for bending the bar, a twisting device arranged to turn about an axis extending in a direction toward said bending device, and means for simultaneously operating said bending de- .vice and turning said twisting device, sub stantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for bending and twisting bars, the combination of a stationary bending die, a cooperating movable bending die, a twisting device through which the bar is passed endwise to said bending dies and which is arranged to turn about an axis extending substantially in the direction of the line of feed of the bars to the bending dies, and means for operating said movable bending die and turning said twist-ing device, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for bending and twisting bars, the combination of a stationary bending die, a cooperating movable bending die, a twisting device, a rotary shaft, a link connecting said shaft to said movable bending die for operating it, and a device on said shaft for operating said twisting device, substantially as set forth.

7 In a machine for bending and twisting bars, the combination of a stationary bendsaid cam for turning said twisting device,

substantially as set forth.

8. In a machine for bending and twisting bars, the combination of a stationary bending die, a cooperating movable bending die, a twist-ing device, a rotary cam, a link connecting said cam to said movable bending die for operating it, and a rack bar actuated by said cam and meshing with teeth on said twist-ing device, substantially as set forth.

9. In a machine for bending and twisting bars, the combination of a device for bending the bar, a hollow open ended twisting device through which the bar is passed to said bending device, said twisting device having internal sector-shaped lugs for engaging the bar and connected sector-shaped openings between said lugs, and also having 7 a side opening for the removal of the bar, and means for operating said bending device and oscillating said twisting device, substantially as set forth.

IVit-ness my hand this 24th day of July,

FRANK R. ROGERS. Witnesses:

C. W. PARKER, A. L. MoGnE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

